OBSERVER Vol. 9 No. 2 October 29, 1998

Page 1 Bard Student Arrest Ignites Controversy Conduct of Deputy condemned by community Amanda Kniepkamp and Jessica Jacobs BRIDGES Program Continues Bard-Red Hook Partnership Stephanie Schneider Scrutinizing Tenure Policy: Can Bard’s System Improve? What is the tenure system? How does it work at Bard? How should it work? By Ciprian Iancu Page 2 News Briefs Vigil Held for Slain Wyoming Student Planned Parenthood Offers Services Senior Class Officers Elected Lopez Performs Weinberger Boma-aca-pieci: Free Calls Anyone? Attack of the Frosh, um, I mean, Firstyears Page 3 Corrections Bard College Minority Enrollment How Does Tenure Work? Page 5 Sister Cities Links Bard with Nicaragua Scholarships, cooking classes, a bike project and a mini school store have succeeded in Larreynaga. Now it’s time to dance Page 6 Running the Bard Internet Show: From Computer Geek to Web Wizard Internet mastermind Ben Running (yes, that’s his real name) on Macs, Web-access and why he’s often mistaken for a student Joe Stanco Page 7 Tribute Pays Homage to Bard Music Guru Ben Boretz discusses with the Observer the gridwork behind his “Black/Noise” piece, which sparks both word and image John Coyne Page 8 Center for Curatorial Studies’ Future? It’s Time to put it on Cruz Control Former Director of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, Amada Cruz, is here to bring the CCS to the world Michael Haggerty Page 9 Dramatic Tension Defines “Other Places” Performances of three absurdist plays brought out the bitter “music of Harold Pinter” with meticulous attention to detail Film Reviews Frankenstein Meets Fellini Bride of Frankenstein Fellini’s Nights of Cabria Sameer Reddy Page 10 Almost Paradox: A Gender to Remember Equipped with strap-on dildos, heavy cream, and pulsing tracks, Drag Race ’98 breaks loose with full-tilt groovin’ Story by Ezra Feinberg; Photos by Amanda Kniepkamp Page 12 Perspectives in Music Pypers, Poppys, and Other Psychedelic Artyfacts Scott Staton Page 13 A Bit o’ Old Mexico at the Rondout Kingston’s Rosita’s restaurant delivers the nectar of the gods, a lightning-forking, life-changing experience in Burrito form Stephanie Schneider Page 14 Bibliophile Report: the Search for a Reasonable Book Price on the Hudson Alluring used bookshops in Germantown, Tivoli and Kingston still bastions of affordable books and old-world connoisseurship Michael Haggerty Page 15 Neurotic-Erotic Obsessions Gynecological Obsession Margot Fairfaxstein Miss Lonelyhearts The Ancient Quarrel Between Poetry-Through Mail and Fear A Momentary Justification of the Monster Jeremy Brett Page 16 Björk, Hiccups and Plenty o’ Attitude: Dance Theatre III Playful, Impetuous Mahdi Shah Two New Exhibitions at the CCS Social themes explored at the challenging, yet somewhat overemphasized, shows, entitled “Odradek” and “Yesterday Begins Tomorrow” Huffa Frobes-Cross Page 17 Letters to the Editors and Community Observer Editorial Policy Page 20 Bot-man: The Killing Josey Chris Van Dyke, John Holowach October 29, 1998 'i' Issue 2, Volume 9 -. Annandale-on-Hudson, NY, 12504

THE CROWING COCK, HOW DROWSILY IT CREW: Revelers got wild on the dancefloor at the Drag Race last Saturday. Scrutinizing Tenure Policy: Can Bard's System Improve? What is the tenure system? How does it work at Bard? How should it work? L-'•·· ~~------B~v_c_n_~__ •~ __ cu ______~)

FoR STUDENTS who are not aware of the intri­ tenure evaluation for a permanent position in cacies of the tenure system at Bard, the careers the Social Sciences Division. To Marisa's dis­ of faculty members may seem quiet and may, Jon Kahn was denied tenure despite sub­ uncomplicated, distant from the troubles of stantial support from both faculty and stu­ the modern American workplace. But for those dents. aware of the complexiries involved in hiring · "You spend the first two years at school get- professors for lifetime positions, no assessment · ting to know a professor and making connec­ seems more uninformed. tions with him," Marisa remarked. "And then One student who abruptly learned this real­ you start your junior year and now, the point ity is Marisa Silverman, a junior Political where you really need the advisor, you won't Science major. Her advisor is Jonathan Kahn, have one. I have no idea whom to ask robe my Assistant Professor of History and Political : ( ) CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 Studies. Last year, Professor Kahn underwent ~------~ BRIDGES Program Continues Bard-Red Hook Partnership

( BY S'TEPHANIE ScHNEIDER ) ~activities that the-children will do later on in the Not only will the relationship between the teach- : year. As Ann Gabler, grants writer for Bard College · ers and the professional artists be expanded, but also The BRIDGES program, an educational effort joining said, "They'll actually experience what their students . the relationship between the Red Hook schools and community artists, Bard College, and the Red Hook will experience." . Bard College. Gabler said that the:: focus this year school system, kicked off the year with a conference _ The conference included keynote speaker Eric · will be on performance and the arts. BRIDGES will involving school teachers and artists, and looks Booth, author of "The Everyday Work of Art," small work in conjunction with the Playback theatre and towards 1998 as a year of expansion and reflection. : group workshops, and artist/teacher meetings. The also will work with Bard student performers in an The conference, held October 9, proved to be a goal of the conference was to encourage the artists and effort to tailor student concerts, dance and theatre successful start. Teachers from the Red Hook schools - the teachers to "work together to create and deliver a productions co the elementary school-aged children. had the opportunity to meet with the artists who broad range of competent and creative instruction," as ( ) CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 will visit their classrooms and participate in the stated in a letter for Red Hook school district faculty. ~------~

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P17 Letters to the Community from the BBSO, LASO, and Nicole Woods

OPINIONS 2 THE BARD OBSERVER N E WTHURSDAY. S OCTOBER 29, 1998 Arrest of Bard Student Ignites Controversy

( CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE ) : .Not o~ly h~ this in-Cid~rli: -given rise.~ o~trage. . Furthermore, Becker plans to investigate the . " · :· about ractsm m surroundmg commumttes, It has : actions of all Bard staff involved and to review Dean of Students Jonathan Becker arrived i~ also spotlighted racial tensions and safety concerns existing protocols and procedures. Fegan declined Rhinebeck, but were denied access to Bourdeau . . on Bard's own campus. "Racism is a sickness that is to comment. They learned he was to . be arraigned later that : sub de but you can find it in places you don't expect. Both Brock and Assistant Director of Security night by Red Hook Judge Richard Griffiths. : It shouldn't be found at Bard, a 'liberal' place, but Lisa Sadowsky strongly defended the actions of the Becker and Nicole Woods, assistant dean of stu- .. ir is found here everywhere. Security should have . security guards present on Saturday night. "They dents and director of multicultural affairs attended . stopped [the incident]; the Resident Director _ are comfortable with their response in terms of our the arraignment. Becker was allowed to speak on _ should have stopped it. People need to speak," said policy, our protocols. But they're not comfortable Bourdeau's behalf and Bourdeau was released into Wu-Norman at a meeting held Sunday night in . seeing this happen to a student," said Sadowsky. Becker's custody. No bail was demanded. Olin. The meeting was called by Woods to offer a : ''Any of the guys, but these guys in particular- Currently, Bourdeau faces charges of petty larce- . : Max, Dave, Gilbert-if there was anything they ny, resisting arrest, and second-degree assault of a . Faculty and staff of color encouraged the could have done safely and legally ro intervene, to police officer. According to Woods, excessive force · · stop it, they would have done it." was.used in the detainment ofBourde~u, inciuding_.. COmmunity at large to follOW the leadership Brock stressed that the guards were legally oblig- one to four blows to either Bourdeau's back, legs, : · ated to assist the officer, regardless of their own feel- or head. In addition, "there is a significant and : of the BBSO. UThe eagerness to respond . ings. "They followed existing policies and proce- cl~ar racial component" to the incident, according. immediately indicateS an ignorance of the dures right down the line. They followed the laws to Becker. . right down the line. That does not mean there Contrary to the administration's account, context of the "tssue ,. sa'td Woods might not be a need to change some 'of these proce- of the Sheriff's Office was ' • Captain Dennis O'Keeffe . dures," he said. Brock invites students to approach quoted in Tuesday's The Poughkeensie journal as say- r forum for involved students and friends to express him in person with suggestions and concerns. ing, "The guy was resisting. [The Deputy] must . - · · - emotions prompted by Saturday night's events. At Tuesday night's meeting, yet another ques- have taken him right down to the ground: Then, ; -At the town meeting held Tuesday night, attend- tion was raised: Is this a community issue, or an when he let him get l:lP the guy punched the · ed by nearly 400 Bard students, faculty and staff, issue primarily for students of color? Faculty and deputy in the face four times." Eye-witnesseS have · · · more safety issues were raised and the administra- . staff of color encouraged the community at large to challenged this accusation. Bob Brock, director of · · tion was accused of violating students' trust. "The . follow the leadership of the BBSO (Bard Black Bard security, could not divu}ge specific details . · Dean-on-Call was there to protect Mario and he . Students Organization). "The eagerness to respond from the reports of Bard security guards. However, Brock said, "the first I've heard of [the alleged four didn't do that," said Alyssa Nelson at the meeting. immediately indicates an ignorance of the context blows inflicted upon the officer] was reading it in • Three petitions are currently in circulation: one . of the issue," said Woods. the paper." · · -- · demands the suspension of two of the three securi- "The Bard community needs to move forward in The administration has offered to finance · ty guards present at the incident; a second calls for a unified way in respect to what the BBSO desires," Bourdeau's legal costs. President Leon Botstein will ~ Fegan's resignation; the third insists che Deputy • said Professor Tabetha Ewing at Tuesday's meeting. provide Bourdeau with legal counsel and wrote a let- · Sheriff resign. At press time, the latter had dose to Another meeting is planned for Monday to ter ro Sheriff Fred Scoralick protesting the manner in · three hundred signatures; each of the first two had : allow students to express their concerns about race which Bourdeau was arrested. Becker and Woods · approximately half that number. : at Bard in the absence of administrators. At 7 also met with Captain O'Keeffe to address specific : In answer to students' concerns, Jonathan p.m., students of color will meet in Kline complaints regarding possible racially motivated · Becker emphasized that Mario~s well-being was his : Commons to formulate a plan. of action. At 8 components of Bourdeau's arrest and the Deputy's : first priority. As a ~econdary concern, he .said • p.m., the entire student body will come together use of excessive force. A formal complaint will be · Fegan's response was "not the response I would to further discuss this incident and the issues it lodged against the Sheriff's Office after the trial. desire or expect from someone in my office." . has brought to the fore. THE BARD OBSERVER NEWS THURSDAY, OCTOBER29. 1998 3

.- - .~ .·f" . BRIDGES Program Brings Together Corrections These figures were primed incorrectly in students and studencs who checked Bard and Red Hook Communities Issue l, September 25 of the Observer. We "ocher" or "unknown" are not included. apologize for this misprint. These figures The Higher Education Opportunity ( CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE only include students who identify them­ Program (H.E.O.P) is not exclusive on the selves as students of color; imernational basis of race. In another discipline, archeology, the fourth grade classes are working with Chris Lindner and his archeology class. The children will be able to explore archeology through "dig boxes" which will simulate archeological digs, according to Gabler. A:> it expands, BRIDGES is also trying to evaluate its efforts in order to help secure funding so that the program continues. The evaluation is being conducted by Psychology Professor David Lopez who is studying the effect arts education on other academic areas. His proposal for the study describes that from educational and psycho­ [ogicalliterature, "the strongest determinants of children's academic success are: (a) their causal explanations for success and failure; and (b) their assess­ ments of their academic strengths and weaknesses." These two elements are referred to as 'self-efficacy.' If children have high efficacy beliefs, they gener­ ally perform well. In addition, Lopez said that it is important to examine what types of goals children have. A:> he wrote in his proposal, "In general, children who are focused on success tend to perform better than children who are focused on avoiding failure." Lopez hypothesizes that arts education, in order to influence general academic performance, must influence the efficacy of stu­ dents in their ac:J,demic ability and goals. He will conduct surveys in the Red Hook schools to see if this relationship exists. This relationship is essential to the BRIDGES program.~ it states in the letter to school teachers, "It is our belief that knowing and practicing artistic disciplines is a fundamental part of our students' education and provides undersranding of civilizations both past and present."

Scrutinizing the Tenure System

( . ~ON~INU-ED : F~O~ - p~~V~OU~~~~~ ·--.. ~· - - · ~ ;. ____ ~ _) _

advisor now. It makes me really angry. I evaluation process on faculty. Many see think about it from his point of view tenure contributing to the anxiety of and it makes me angry, and I think faculty to publish and establish notori- . about how it affects me, and i.t makes . ety in their academic dis~iplines, or risk .~ m~' angry. ygu would think that a pro- ': not being able to get tenure in the early :• .· 'f~sor that is ~0 .:Vid~ly liked would get .~ stages of their careers. Although it was tenure. I gave oral testimony an~ did emphasized that at Bard the most impor­ everything they tell you to do as a stu- • tant criterion is teaching ability, it is clear dent. It makes me wonder if it's worth that for all professors this issue is still a anything at all." concern. (See "How Does Tenure Marisa's case is not unique. It is fair ' Work," right column.) to say _that at least once during four Another problem that McAdoo's years at Bard, most students will be: ; study illuminates is that tenured faculty confronted with. the tenure denial of a sometimes lose the energy and drive to faculty member they know. In light of ; teach after years with guaranteed job that fact, students should be aware of . security. President Botstein noted the the issues and procedures involved in particular significance of this issue. "It's the tenure process. _ an extremely difficult question to · answer. It's a gamble over a very long, TENURE IS A HOTLY DEBATED ISSUE m long run. You're asking the institution American higher education. As a senior to make a commitment to an individ­ project by Bard alumna Ruby McAdoo ual, that on the basis of no external ('97) entitled Tenure: The Current Crisis • pressure except his or her pressure inter­ and Its E.ffoct ofthe Academic Community . nally, wlll be active in the field, com­ states, the historical development of : mitted to undergraduates, spend the tenure responded to two major concerns of university professors during the: early President Botstein stated that part of this cenrury: the need for job security in rhe teaching profession, and he did not believe that an effort the need for academic freedom in light of anti-Communist sentiments within to change the system would colleges and universities. & McAdoo's discussion makes dear, much of the cur­ be fruitful or productive. rent literature is devoted to the question of whether tenure sti11 serves the ends to The tenure tradition is widely which it was designed, or whether its negative repercussions now outweigh its established in colleges and fading benefits. M,any critics of tenure, including ooiversities across the country. President Botstein, note that the bal­ ance of protection for tenure has shifted time ... Now, we've had a very good bat­ to job security in the recent years, and ting average. We've done very well. But that it has never been particularly effec­ · a mistake in tenure is hard to undue." tive in protecting freedom of dissent Nevertheless, President Botstein stated within institutions, considering that that he did not believe that an effort to biased judgments are no less likely for change the system would be fruitful or those making tenure decisions. In addi­ - productive. The tenure tradition is wide­ tion to the intended scope of tenure, ly established in colleges and universities there are questions of the impact of the across the country.

(~ ______co_N_T_IN_U_E_D_O_N __ PA_G_E_4 ______~) 4 THE BARD OBSERVER NEWS THURSDAY, OCTOBER29. 1998

: attempt to make such a decision. President Botstein (~ ____co_N_T_I_N ...;Uh;;__ED_,.,... __,~._R-"'!~M-P_.~~·f;-'~LIO.:_· ~::_;;-~'--...i!~A'--'~!...E.;..~...!'-''c:.!··· •.c.,;-

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0 \D ..--4 00 0'\ 0 0-1 ('(') 'if'\ \D [' 00 a... 0 ..--4 N ('(') ~ 'if'\ '-0 [' 00 [',. ~ t'--. [',. 00 00 00 00 ~ 00 00 00 00 00 a... 0'\ a... a... a... a... a... a... a... I I I I I I I I ~ ~ 0 ..--4 '-0 ..-1 v-.[' [',. ~ ~ 'if'\ r--!- ~ 0'\ 0 ~ ~ v\ ~ r--!- ~ [',. ~ 00 00 00 00 ~ 00 00 00 00 00 Cl'\ a-.. Cl'\ a-.. J a-.. a... a-.. Years THE BARD OBSERVER NEWS THURSDAY. OCTOBER 29, 1998

Total Tenure Decisions Total Tenure Decisions (1975-1998) of Leon Botstein (1993 .. 1998) of Leon Botstein

Denied Tenure 37%

63% Denied Ten~e 66%

system ~~uld be signified by a greater sense that fac­ (~ _____c_O_N_TI_N_U_E_D_O_N_N_E_XT_P_A_G_E ____~) . ulty, students, and the administration were working process as sufficient in providing circumvention of together in the tenure process, not as adversaries, in the general prejudices at play. He explains a further this situation. aspect of the difficulty with faculty role in tenure Faculty Senate Chairman and Associate Professor by saying, "Faculty members have to vote yes or no of Mathematics, Ethan Bloch spoke about improving on a tenure case in their divisions, and you have to the tenure process from the part of faculty. He notes make a call - one side or the other. When you vote that, "I think we do need to improve the process ... I yes or no, the basis of your vote may be, 'Well, I'm think we can do it bener. But this is on two levels; balanced, there may be negatives and positives, but · one, the procedure, and two, the judgment we bring ultimately I fall down on the positive side.' · to bear. In the past the faculty have granted tenure a Everyone has negatives and positives, but there are little too easily." clearly differences between yeses. There are som~ · One suggestion for improving the Bard tenure yeses that are overwhelmingly strong, and there are system addresses the overlap between considerations different reasons for the yeses. And when you begin of faculty that serve on the FEC, who must make to differentiate-when I, for example, make a conscientious, impartial evaluations as members of judgment that's not in agreement with a yes rec- ' their academic community. Many faculty are con­ ommendation, it's because I've heard from a lot of · cerned that Bard's size, combined with the likeli­ faculty that the reasons for the yes are not either hood that evaluators may affect the structure of consistent, or they're not enthusiastic. They're yes their own departments, may make these choices all but they're not enthusiastic. For good reasons, for the more difficult. professional reasons. n Other faculty members believe that improving The manifest concern of faculty with the tenure the tenure process should begin with revising the process at Bard is signified by the sharp increase in evaluation guidelines outlining this procedure. the denials by the President in recent years. As statis­ Every five years, the document is revised by the tics show, 48% of all tenure denials at Bard, by · Faculty Senate; it is currently time to reevaluate the President Botstein, have taken place in the last five guidelines of the recommendation procedure. One years. The President responded to the issue by commonly mentioned option t~ allowing studen~.s to describing the demand on an administration to not . give testimony that is anonymous to at least the fac­ t~nure its enti~~ faculty. · unfortunat~ly, such a ulty member that is evaluated. According to Lisa response does not seem to alleviate the concerns of · Thompson, student chair of the EPC, many stu­ many faculty and students about the significant prob- . dents fear giving negative testimony because of the lems in Bard'~ tenure system. pressures that they may feel when faculty candidates BOTSTEIN WIEIDS THE CONTROL he does because of the see their negative comments. managerial structure of the college. Any discussion of · Nonetheless, she stresses that testifYing is the sin­ solutions to the difficulties in Bard's process must take gle most important thing that students can do to that fact into account, as well as fact that a dramatic improve the way tenure operates at Bard. "Students change in structure is not likely to occur anytime in need to get involved, even in the face of discourage­ the near future. However, a number of improvements ment," she says. The way they can do this is to have been suggested by faculty for the technical pro­ respond to requests for testimony distributed each cedure involved in Bard's tenure system. Along with . term, for any professor they may have had, and to these, a common sentiment has been expressed among . respond as honestly and bravely as they can about students and faculty that an improvement in Bard's their experiences. 6 THE BARD OBSERVER INTERvIEws THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1998 Running the Bard Internet Show: From Computer Geek to Web Wizard Internet mastermind Ben Running (yes, that's his real name) on Macs, Web-access and why he's often mistaken for a student - ' ( Bv JOE STANCO . • ·- .....) ·' 0: Is it_ a diffirent·.a_f2,opher~ /~~r.e a_t f!ard_?. .' .. : balances will have tp be struck somehow. We'll have to · wait to see how it works out. Obsetver: How does it foe! to have someone interested in . R: There are a lot of people doing their own thing. interviewing you? · That is both very liberating and very difficult to deal 0: Whats it like living Jive miles east of the middle-of­ · g: I ' · · · h d ak · with. Because it's hard to say "OK, we're gonna pub- nowhere"? 8en Runrnn ... ts a mce s1tuatton w ere stu ents are t - . . · · [' h • d · ] '\Vr • d · hsh a document on the Web and you do step one, step · R· Things could be a little more livelv But I've got a lot mg an mterest m w at were omg. were omg th . th , And h · · r good stuff (I hope) judging from reports from the pre- : two, step ree .to get It up" . ere. we , ave p~o- : of friends in Albany, in New York. .. You get to know . . pie who come m and say Fme, but what I m domg 1 And · • 1 f h h h v1ous staff-horror stones frankly. People who needed ...... , . some peop e. lts ess o w ere you are t an w o " , , reqUires an mte.tactlve shdeshow, a 3D rotatlng sofa... · kn d h • h · · h hdp ... were told no, were not gonna let you do that. I, h ll d al' . hall h rr , . . · you ow an w o youre angmg out w1t . . l . ts a c a enge e tng Wlt t at stun. 1ts excltlng . An d we obv10us Y want to open thmgs up: let people · d d'tr Ob · 1 h ff h · 0: Youre a biu Mac at:;cionado lfyou were stranded on . h an tuerent. vwus y, t at stu appens at : · o ':J• • '.1. d o stuff, let people pub hs on the Web, let them . Skid Th' [ B d) l . d - : a desert island with a power su:ppl11 and a PC, wouldyou . d . more, too. mgs at ar are a ot more ... m e . :.t access goo eqUipment. · pendent. I'm seeing a lot of interesting stuff already. use it? 0: So, here you are, 22, with a techie job at_ Bard. What . For instance, the big project where Judy Pfaff went to • R: That's a good question. If I was stranded on a desert a"' you doing and how do you like it? . Brazil and one of her students Laura Gail Tyler is pub- island with a Mac and a power source, I would use R; It's weird! Obviously, just coming from college and lishing a Website from Brazil. We got her a digital [the Mac}. Gust kidding.) Yeah, I would use it to kill now workinghere alongwith all these people my age, • camera and a notebook computer, and she's updating : the time. It's amazing, you could sit down, or at least I have co be like "No, I work here, sorry." I'm some kid the site everyday. I worked for a couple of weeks with . I could sit down, and three hours later not realize that they don't recognize, and people ask me, "Yo! Are you her, sho':"ing her how to make pages, how :o oper~te : any rime had passed. I'd have created something a freshman ... ?" It's fun though, I like being rhe only the eqmpment. She got down there, shes pumng incredibly complicated but somehow ridiculous. I'd member of this staff who's under age 30 ... I think that's : ev~rythi~g toge~er, an~ she's. doing some amazing · spend three hours just working on stupid things and a big factor in why Dave hired me, so 1 could interact thmgs. Its fun domg proJects hke that. I'll be like, "Dude, look it moves!" But that's just me. with students on a one-to-one level. 0: That's definitely an advantage. That's what is really . needed now, to have that inuraction really cohesive, for students to really feel that its open. R: I think it's just to have someone to relate to. When • I think about it, back when I was a freshman at . school, to have someone around my own age to relate with would have been nice. I try to do that. I imeract with a lot of students. But there's always that moment where people arc like "do you work here-you're a student worker?" ... ! gotta grow a beard or something. 0: So ... (joshing!y). .. whats your salary? R: (Chuckles) It's not bad. It's nice knowing that aU I have to do is show up, do what I like to do, and I'll get • a paycheck. That's a better situat!on than a lot of my friends who are starving artists or living in cars. 0: What got you into all this stuff (1%b design, program- . . ming, netu.Jorking, etc.)? What kind ofprojects didyou do , at Skidmore? R: It was all just a hobby. It came at a good time. It coincided with "Hey, this stuff is popular now!" ... While everyone else was going out on Saturday night, I'd be sitting home compiling soft- . ware. I worked in summer jobs in lace high school ------· 0: Did you design the Bard Col!tge background on the and in college. And then at school, I Started doing I'm not really concerned that anarchy is computers? things lkike Webhsites for variodus departmendts. I ended ' gol·ng fO break lOOSe OOCe people have • R: Yes. I was in the lab one day and some guy asked me up wor ing at t e computer epartment, oing some · "Hey, who designed these backgrounds?" I was like, training sessions where I'd be giving dasses to other ol'cess to publt"sh on the Web The only way "It depends. Do you like them?" ... We just wanted a ! . . . students, faculty and staf£ I was basically figuring out . " • some kind of identifYing marks, that identifY it as a how to make stuff easier for -people.-.. I still do a lot of • fi d • b d • • · we're gorng to n o~t IS y OlUg tt... Bard computer. It's also got the number to call if you that here. As for · the Web d1!5ign stuff, I was a studio ' need help. That was the first thing I did here ... art major at Skidmore. That wasn't hugely supporred there (graphics), but I did a lot of that stuff anyway. 0: Hopefolly there will be a lot more ofthose projects ona 0: Just to ~~lk about another acheivement that you've . It was basically what I wanted to be doing, and it was you get going with your workshops... . : made since you've got here, can you talk about Inside fun. I was ·get_ting. credit and getting paid for it as a · : Bard? What were you seeking to do with your construe~ R: There are still some barriers to be crossed in terms job. It worked our nicely. tion ofthe site? · ofWeb publishing. It's mainly political stuff. There are 0: How does Bard compare to Skidmore? . fears that some people have [about giving) students ; R: The project was started on the idea that the Web ' access to the Web-if we let them publish Web d~cu- • is too good of a resource to be wasted on what we R: It was pretty different. [In terms of technology,] it · · · c b fi I b · 11 . ments, what if they put something up that says "F- you, • were usmg 1t LOr e ore. t was as1ca y a propagan- was pretty open; a lot m'ore open than the setup here. · d 1 f, h 'd ld Yi h B d . I'm gonna kill the president!" Who's responsible for that? : a tou or t e outs! e wor . ou go to t e ar People were encouraged and instructed. was : · d · .c · h .k On the other hand, other institutions have been doing : Slte ... an you see lmormauon on ow to app1 y, a required often that people publish stuff on the Web. · 1 f d b l' f this for five years, and the problems have been fC"~

( BY ~JOHN.,COvNE ~ ~ )"': "" ~ ~- ,-.. - . ~ ~ - -...- .:.· :: - -='_-=_ BEN ~ORETZ, the recently-retired professor of music and master-mind behind the Bard Integrated Arts program, was honored in a concert held Sunday-, October 4. On the program was a composition for composer's ensemble called "Four Speculative Pieces," as well as the latest phase of a musical-video project called "Black/Noise." In the four "Speculative Pieces" a single word or phrase was projected onto a wall with an overhead projector, providing a direction or a stim­ ulus for the composers who would then create the music as we watched. The performers, the Live Electronic Music Ensemble, made use of everything from guitars and drums to synthesizers and taped recordings. Boret:z; has used ideas like this to dissect the compositional process. Instead of writing out each note or phrase of a composition, he merely suggests the direction the music is to take (what he calls "pre­ composing''), and leaves the problem of actually get­ ting there to the performers. "Black/Noise" is a composition for video and pre­ recorded sound, including spoken text, based on the book I, 000 Plateaus by Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari. In the notes that were provided for this TICKLIN' THE IVORIES: Boretz's "Black/Noise," a sound, text and video composition was performed in its most recent form October 4. piece, Boretz calls it a project in "recycling, borrowing, accumulating and combining," saying that it never within a specific terrain. Is that like saying the piece video is not something produced by a video artist in really settles into a stable piece, but is continually defines itself by the parameters it falls within rather than the way that a video artist would be likely to approach evolving. The video component was rather hypnotic, by the specific material it uses? it. There's no pretense on my part to having the tech­ consisting of images which flashed onto the screen for B: Yes, well, it comes in two directions-One is the nology or the technological understanding of the film­ a few seconds, followed by a few moments of darkness interest I've had for the past few years in I, 000 maker. The same goes for words. "When I write words, before the next image. Plateaus, and the other is the sound element. We did most of the time, I'm doing them audiwrally. I'm com­ a First Year Seminar on I, 000 Plateaus a few years ago, posing word~sound and word~meaning with the car of "It's important to understand that, and the "first move" in this particular game was an the musician. W'hat I'm doing cannot be called poetry. hour-long video I did for the class. I've developed this 0: Are you saying that there is a particular type ofconti­ for me, this is all coming from a musical relationship in my video that really interested me as a nuity particular to music? standpoint. Even if there is a visual composer, namely, the idea of whar you use silence for, B: Well, I think there are zillions of types of musical and how one creates video-silence. I did that by flash­ continuity. In fact, continuity is probably the primary ~ "etem~nt_ ~rid a verbal element to my ing images ~nto a screen <:t certain intervals. _ -·-·- _ distinctive characteristic of musical composition. The 0: It's a very unique idea. You also used that technique in continuity of, say, Stravinsky's music is more charac­ work, it is all emerging as an extension "Music, Consciousness, Gender" and the hypnotic effict of teristically Stravinskian than his choice of harmony. of music composition." an hour and a halfof flashing images separated by black When I was a critic, I noticed how when Stravinsky space was very striking. conducted, his music was very different than when anyone else would conduct it. The way it moved in After "Black/Noise," a number of faculty, members 8: Yes, when I was doing it, people were telling me that time was very different-Srravinsky's beat was like a of the administration, and former students dose to it was a new technique. I never really thought of it pogo stick, and it would bounce back and forth rather Professor Boretz spoke about him, including Robert that way-it's just a compositional idea. I imagined than directly moving forward like Verdi or Beethoven. Kelley, Joan Tower, Mario Bick, Richard Teitelbaum, that people had done stuff like that before, but and a witty Stuart Levine. whether they had or hadn't doesn't really matter. It just 0: Do you approach your work in, say, video with an works with what I had in mind. idea ofhow differently a film-maker would approach the It's important to understand that, for me, this is' all same material? Recently, Ben Boretz sat down with us to discuss the coming from a musical standpoint. Even if there is a event, and particularly "Black/Noise." 8: Well, I shouldn't speak for them. It's not that I'm visual element and a verbal element to my work, it is operating against how other kinds of artists operate, Obserrer. You ~ave said that Black/Noise never really sta­ all emerging as an extension of music composition. I but that I'm operating our of a base in music. 1 don't bilizes into 'a piece" but is rather always forming and : think all the considerations governing how visual and think about how my approach is different, I just reforming into diffirmt states. How is each state of the _ verbal things function in my work is most under~ assume it is because I'm a composer. projet:t diffmmt from the next? - standable from the perspective of music composition The original idea behind the Integrated Arts pro~ rather than as a multi-media concept. What I do is Ben Boretz: It's sort of blurring, or maybe even obliter­ gram was not to put together "sandwiches" made of not a mixing of verbal composition in its traditional ating the lines between composition and performance. slices of different media. It was to develop integrated Each time the piece is played, it is a new performance sense and video composition in its traditional sense conceptions in which the media you were working in which is almost indistinguishable from a re-composi­ with music composition. It's like composing music was not the guideline for the conception, but rather, tion. It's different from a new composition however, with sonic, verbal and visual material. for the total integration . And that's the way I think­ because it has many of the same elements governed by 0: So instead ofhaving the visual and the words depend _ in terms of a unified concept, which I assume is a the same over-all idea. on th~ music, you compos~ th~m as ifthey too w~re music? · musical concept because my whole life is back­ 0: You mentioned, in your notes, that it is a composition B: That's true, but the point I'm making is that my grounded in music. 8 THE BARD OBSERVER I NT ER vIEws THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1998 Center for Curatorial Studies' Future? It's Time to Put it on Cruz Control Former Director ofthe Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, Amada Cruz, is here to bring the CCS to the world

( . _ _ BY MICHAEL HAGGERTY_ . _ -) ~ 1J: Are curators havingto.ff1ttke efforts to have exhibits _ ~tandabl~ to them. I was v~?' inv?lve~ in labd.writ- . -· lzke that to get the people mto the museums, to have the mg, for mstance, and wntmg didactiC matenal so Amada Cruz recently began work as the drrector ofBard spectacle? when people walked through the exhibitions they College's Center for Curatorial Studies· Museum. As · C: There ts· mcreasmg· · pressure, agam,· t h"1s 1s· a gen- · could rea d w h at t h e artists· ' mtennon· · was an d w h at director she will organize the museums exhibition pro- eralization, on mainstream institutions to do exhi- the show was about. Also publishing catalogs, mak­ gram, and work with the faculty and students of the b"t"1 1ons tha t are mo.e'"' access1"bl e t o b nng· peop 1e ing sure the scholarship being published is very seri- Center's graduate program. Cruz recently curated the through the doors, to increase visitorship. . ous and very accurate. 1997 retrospective ofCindy Sherman as well as the group - 0: Have you felt that pressure? 0: Do you find it hard making art understandable to exhibition ofinteractive artwork "Performance Anxiety". C: Yes. It's more like something that's slowly creep- the public? . at the Museum ofContem_porary_ ~rt (MCA) in .Chica?o. ing up. I've never had anyone specifically tell me · C: Sometimes it is difficult to make contemporary She ~as _als'o he'! curatonal posttt.ons at the Smzthsoman - that I had to do a certain type of show, certainly not art understandable to a broader public. Jnstrtutzons Htershorn Museum, the Sculpture Garden in Chicago, to get people through the doors. But I 0: Is that a flaw in the art or a flaw in the public? in Washington, D. C, and the Soloman R Guggenheim know that it was something that was important C: No, I think any progressive art form is difficult to Museum in New York City. The Center's first exhibition · there. We had to have membership, we had to · explain or to understand unless you have some kind ofthe year opened September 20. . increase membership and visitorship just to be able : of background in it. Just like contemporary classical Observer: Why do you think Chuck Close is the most : to meet our budg~ta?' res~onsi~ilities. . . - music or avant-garde fiction, it's very difficult to fomour American artirt right now? . 0: In terms ofmakmg zt fomtly ortmted or havmg chtl- . understand it if you have absolutely no background Cruz: Do you think Chuck Close is the most famous . dren's workshops? • in it and you've never seen it before. I think that's American artist right now? - C: I was never specifically told that I had to make rhe · more what it is. It's not just about visual arts, it's a 0: I think he's getting the most press coverage and the ~ most attention-more than anyone else. o C: Do you think he's more famous than Cindy : ~ Sherman? One of the reasons he's getting so much : attention right now is because the Museum of . Modern Art in New York just did this big retrospec- . rive. So I think his name is in the news because he's : really exposed at this moment, people are seeing a lot :

'rnte general contemporary art museum is not about the familiar, it's about things . ..~·-: . that are unfamiliar and things that are untested. lfs hard to get people to accept the unfamiliar," said Cruz

of his work out there, and the show is travelling ,, . around the country. 0: Why are so many people interested in his art, as oppossed to a more abstract kind ofart? C: I think people are very interested in looking at figurative art and looking at images of people. It's . sort of like looking at ourselves and I think that's . why representational art speaks so directly to so many people. · shows more accessible, bur it was something that . problem with any kind of progressive art form. O: Does it have anything to do with accessibility? . made you feel the pressure to make things very . 0: What do you foel your role in art in general is? C: That's what I mean; I think accessibility is part of . understandable to the larger public. C: My role as a curator and director of this place is rhat, sure. It's accessible because it's imagery that we 0: What did you foe! your role was at the MCA? Firstly to present what I think is the most interesting con­ understand. We understand what it's like to look at in terms of responding to the art community and sec- temporary art to the pub~ic, to the Bard public and another face because every rime you talk to some- . ------: to the greater art public out there, anybody who's one you look at another face. I think that's what "I think any progressive art form interested in coming through the doors. My respon- makes it very accessible, it's something very familiar. • sibility to this museum is to make sure that it's . 0: Do you find it difficult attracting people to come to . is difficult to explain Of to understand . being done not only in a way that it's suppose to be museums and to take part in an art culturd • presented so that the artist is presented in the best possible light, but also to be able to raise money to C: Attracting people to go into a contemporary art unless you have some kind of background ' h 1 Th l . continue the program. museum is al ways a c a lenge. e genera contem- in it. Just like COntemporary C)assical . 0: Do find that money is a problem? orary art museum is not about the familiar, it's : P • d fi · · ' · C: Someone said money is only a problem when you about things rhat are unfamiliar and things that are . mUSIC Of avant ..gar e ICbon, ItS very don't have enough of it. It's always a challenge to untested. It's hard to get people to accept the unfa- h fundraise for art exhibitions. mili~r and to be challenged. difficult to understand it if you ave 0: Is your role different now that you're at the 0: Do you think that the new media artists who t)re absolutely no background in it .. " said Cruz Curatorial Center at Bard rather than being at the using, for example, electronic media, are making art . . .MCA 0 -r the Guggenheim in a big city? Has your job ~asier for people to understand or approach? For exam- . d b h chanued in am wa'\1? ondly in respon ing to the public and ringing t. ose o ;!' .., plt, do you think people would react more to Bill Sure, it's changed a little bit. First of all in terms two together. C: Viola's art· than they would to painting or sculpture, C: What I was d oing at the MCA was running t h e of scale, this museum is smaller. Bur I also feel like because it's video media? : exhibition program. My responsi b i l icy to t h e art it can be much more experimental so I can play a C: I think, and this is a generalization, that younger . community, in my min d , was to s h ow w h at I little bit more in exhibitions. I won't be curaring People react much better to video and electronic t h ough t was t h e best art bemg · created at t h e every single show. I want to work with guest cura- media than older people would because it's some- . moment and to show it in the best possible way to tors from all over the world, give them a chance to thing that they're more familiar with. Specifically maintain t h e integrity o f t h e artistic vision in t h e do exhibitions here. with Bill Viola's work I think a lot of the attraction is exhibitions. 0: What kind ofshows are you planning? the spectacle of it. They are usually big installations 0: And toward the public? C: I have some plans for the summer and fall exhi- with dramatic lighting and the imagery of it is very C: My responsibility towards the public ar the MCA bitions, but it's a little early to talk about them still. dramatic too. was to help in making this difficult artwork under- . They're in their first draft mode right now. THEBARDOBSERVER ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT THURSDAY,OCTOBER29. 1998 9 Dramatic Tension Defines "Other Places" Performances ofthree absurdist plays brought out the bitter "music ofHarold Pinter" with meticulous attention to detail

~ Timing was an important element in all three pieces, (..______,...... ,) - B~v~PETER_~M-ALCOM_~ ~ and here the timing worked very well. Shah, a.s the cab Bard's production of "Other Places," three one-act r driver, seemed very eager to please. Although he was plays by Harold Pinter, was full of dramatic tension. It always working at cross-purposes to the dispatcher, he was played slowly, which heightened the suspense; the was never consciously trying to undermine him. As pauses actually held more meaning than the words the controller, Ludlow made the transition from frus­ themselves. The language of the play is terse, the pro­ tration to sympathy smoothly. duction complex. The audience could vaguely feel the The third piece, "A Kind of Alaska,'' was too slow. unstated subtleties. There were moments when the It centers on a woman who wakes up after 29 years of drama seemed over-played, but overall it held the sleep. Mentally, she is still a 14-year-o[d, but .she now audience breathless. has the body of a 43-year-old. The world around her The William Driver directed performance had no has changed, and it is up to her doctor and her sister dear theme that tied the three plays together. Each to explain this to her. was powerful in itself. In the first piece, "One for the Maren Holmen captured the immaturity of Road," a tyrannical director of a secret organization Deborah, the waking woman; youth shone from old exploits and abuses a family. He is a spokesman for eyes. But Deborah slips in and out of delusion; part organized religion, organi.zed crime, and big business, of her brain is still in "a kind of Alaska," or hiberna­ all rolled imo one; he calls himself"the mouthpiece of tion. When Deborah slipped into this state, the entire God," and says his company is designed to "keep the play froze up. world dean for God." He interrogates a young man, It was an unusual interpretation of the script. the young man's wife and his seven-year-old son. The Mahdi Shah played a tortured doctor, who didn't st:cm young man has been beaten, the employees of the · pleased or even relieved thar he had revived his patient ministry have raped his wife, and by the end of the after a three-decade coma. He stayed away from her piece, they've killed the boy. THE INTERROGATION: Shah (above) and Ludlow in "One for the Road." and seemed afraid of her. Abigail Marlowe, as the Fortunately, none of this occurs on stage. We learn : ------patient's sister Pauline, had a forceful presence on about it from Nicolas, the representative of God, who th f k stage. She was utterly convincing as a sister with no chastises the family members one by one; an three : Rosita's has everything; it's got e a e sympathy in her heart whatsoever. Lines that sounded were downtrodden but maintained their dignity. webs, the painted pumpkins, the like they were designed to soothe, comfort, and per­ Devon Ludlow played Victor, the husband and father, spider haps patronize, sounded harsh. She resented her sister Abigail Marlowe played Gila, his wife, and Chase scary paper skulls and hanging skeletons. for slipping into a coma. Randdl made an appearance as the seven-year~old son. The play was advertised as, "Other Places; varia­ Mahdi Shah played an exceedingly sinister director. Lighted shapes g1ow of bats and pumpkins tions on a theme." The theme, perhaps, was alien­ He wrestled with insanity, but never quite lost his self­ ation. Alienation and loneliness are i)rcuy standard control. He preached his righteous depravity, and and ghosts in the bar area of the restaurant themes in theatre of the ab:mrd. Pinter has been every time he finished a glass of whiskey, he would described as semi-absudisr; he mixes some sympathy have another one "for the road." ed his years as a cab driver. The dispatcher gets more into his plays. His work is simple, but sparks The. second piece, "Victoria Station," was hilari- and more frustrated with him, but finally, when 274 thought. "It's about people being in the wrong ous. Mahdi Shah played an incompetent cab driver; falls in love with his beautiful, sleeping passenger, the place," said Devon Ludlow. "Circumstances they Devon Ludlow was his frustrated dispatcher. The lat- - controller realizes the futility of trying' to direct him. don't belong in." According to Ludlow, director ter tries in vain to get cab 274 to pick up a passenger He gives in to the loneliness that has been plaguing William Diver focused on the rhythm of the work, at Victoria Station. Unfortunately, the cab driver has . him, and decides to join 274 and his newfound love telling the actors to find "the music of Harold no idea where Victoria Station is. In fact, he doesn't for a drink. Pinter." The result was a thoughtful production, a know ~here anything is. He admits that he has wast- Shah and Ludlow played off each other skillfully. slow and bittersweet tune. THE BARD OBSERVER ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT THURSDAY.OCTOBER29, 1998 )

Almost Paradox: A Gender to RemelJer Equiped with strap-on dildos) heavy cream, and pulsing tracks) Drag Race '98 br~aks loose with full-tilt groovin) ~ - . ' ~--- -' .. (

THE DRAG RACE. How can it possibly be summed. up in words? I had a few people give their perspectives on the event. "What is the drag · race really about?" I asked. Mark from New Jersey, decked in fish­ ·nets and a blonde wig, remarked: "It's all about gettin' crazy. And gettin' nice. Gettin' crazy and nice. Like, um ... gettin' crazy nice!" Patty from Providence, whip in tow, expressed it this way: «If soci­ ety were different, I could wear this everyday. But then maybe it wouldn't be as fun. Actually this outfit kind of hurts." One guy who looked like he was in the Flinstones refused to talk to me. I think he may have been on drugs. During the performances, striking a pose was the pervading style, and the crowd was loving it. Four women from the dance department, however, were met with harsh adversity when they conveyed what they thought of the event through their choreo-. graphed piece, while other dancers basked in the vibe of fun-via­ sleaze during their moments in the limelight. The end the Drag Race, organized by SILK and BiGaLa, pushed the idea of a party at Bard to the limits. This was out of the ordi­ nary for a weekend here, as it is every year, all because of the "efforts" people made. THE BARD OBSERVER ARTs & ENTERTAIN MEN T THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1998 l2 THE BARD OBSERVER ARTs & EN T£ RTA IN MEN T THURSDAY. OCTOBER 29, 1998 THE BARD OBSERVER ARTs & ENTERTAINMENT THURSDAY. OCTOBER 29. 1998 13

A Bit o' Old Mexico at the Rondout Kingston's Rosita's restaurant delivers the nectar ofthe gods, a lightning-forking, life-changing experience in burrito form . .

~ it's got the fake spider (...______B_v_S~TEP~H~AN_I~E~S~cH_N_EI_D_ER~------'--"') . webs, the painted pumpkins, the . ~ scary paper skulls and hanging skeletons. Lighted shapes I miNK I'VE FOUND A NEW LOVE. Yes, I think I have found . ~glow of bats and pumpkins and ghosts in the bar area of not only a new love but also a new reason to go on with . ~ the restaurant. And this is all just an addendum to its life, to leave campus, and to waste all those quarters to ! permanent decor~tions, ungoverned by the.rime of year. pay the toll to cross the bridge. What is this new inspi­ These include a variety of pinatas, each representing a ration, you might wonder? It's Rosita's Mexican different alcoholic beverage, secular Christmas lights, Restaurant in Kingston. and the painting of a giant rose. It's a wonder, amazement, an all-pink haven of . Although these gliuery lights and painted gourds delight and right at this moment it's my favorite restau- • would have satisfied my appetite for an enjoyable expe­ rant in the whole Hudson Valley. It has ousted Bois d'arc . rience, the food was the real reason for my love. For out of its position as my favorite restaurant (which never . appetizer, I would recommend ordering rhe napolitos, really held rhat position with much strength considering . which are pieces of cactus marinated with vinegar and I have never even eaten at Bois d'Arc.) topped with shredded cheese. This dish isn't recom­ It was just another ordinary Sunday evening here at mended as much for taste as for the novelty of eating a Bard, the beginning of reading week and my mom was cactus, but it was prett}' tasty as well, very reminiscent of visiting. I decided to rake advantage of the situation and . green peppers, but they weren't green peppers, they were ger a nice free dinner at a restaurant of my choosing. I . cactuses, you can just tell. still wonder why I didn't say, "Bois d'Arc," that evening ' As for a main dish, not much is offered for vegans but rather, for reasqn yet unknown, I was being drawn . although you can ask for the dishes sans dairy products ro rhe idea of exploring the Rondout, the historic water­ but if you are inclined to eat dairy, I would certainly rec­ front area in Kingston. I had little idea of what the : ommend the quesadillas, either plain, with spinach or Rondout was all about for I had only been there once . chicken. All are equally delicious. If you're a fan of before but I knew it held something, something great as . I V:,ould soon discover: . _, - - . seafood, order the camarcros en salsa verde and try eat­ Rosita's ing shrimp another way again. Desserts at Rosita's arc a caught my eye right away, practically as . NO PINATAS BARRED: Fine Halloween decorations make the grade. masterpiece as well, including two of my favorites: the soon as we hit the Rondout. Not only were its . ------ever-mysterious flan, and fried bananas. Beverages are Halloween decorations and various . ·lighting tech- Rosita's has eve..uH.ing; ifs got the fake niques overwhelming, but ir was Mexican food, and _ IJUI plenty and go recommended. The margaritas kicked my after eating Santa F~'s pork tacos and being subjected : spider webs, the painted pumpkins, the butt. to Starr Cantina's canned version of south of the bor- , _ Various combination dinners allow you to order der cooking, I was tempted by the thought that this : SCary paper skulls and hanging skeletons. different arrangem-ents of tacos, burritos, enchiladas, place could hold "real" Mexican cuisine. tostadas, etc. and run about $7 or $8 dollars a pop. Although I have already mentioned the decorating . Lighted shapes gfow of bats and pumpkins Please don't fret too much at tht· price because it's style of Rosita's, this issue deserves a more in depth . worth every stinkin' penny. Everyone should go to analysis because one can tell a lot of work went into : and ghosts in the bar area of the restaurant Rosita's, if for nothing else, the pinky decor and bot­ making this place look so festive. Rosita's has everything; . ------tomless bowls of chips and salsa. 14 THE BARD OBSERVER ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT THURSDAY, OCTDBER29, 1998 Bibliophile Report: The Search for a Reasonable Book Price on the Hudson Alluring used bookshops in Germantown) Tivoli and Kingston: still bastions ofaffordable books and old-world connoisseorship

bit'-expeiis!~~, but they.try t~··s~ll them at h;lf th~ Church Street. Ken Hubner and Steve WaUing, (~----~-B_v_M_IC_HA_EL_H_A_G_GERTY__ ~--"--'-~--"-}: coveq:>tice: Many of thdr customers an~ New· Paltz retired teacher and graphic designer respectively, WrTNESSTHEAGONY each semester in the bookstore- . sttidents and professors. You won't find hardcore know how to choose their books. The fiction selec­ it is nothing short of organized crime. Before classes • textbooks on the shelves, but theoretical works and tion is excellent and includes both classic and con­ begin, unsuspecting students are taught their first . criticism are available in abundance. The psychology, temporary writing. There are also extensive art his­ lesson in chicanery. It is not unheard of for a student . philosophy, and especially the drama/theater selec- tory, philosophy, and drama/theater sections. There to spend between $200 and $300 for class materials. tions are worth checking out. There is also a fairly is a good possibility that the book of criticism you Reselling these books at the end of the semester good stock of political literature that has something need for your philosophy class is here. In addition rarely yields any reasonable return. of a Soviet/Communism slant. The fiction and poet- to the great bboks,_ the store itself is an attraction. This crisis is not confined to college campuses. ry selection is excellent, but it deals mainly with 20th Situated in a rickety building that had previously Across the nation bibliophiles are forced to com~ century writers and few of the so-called classics oflit- been a firehouse, a telephone company, and a promise their incomes for their passion. It is no . erature. Alternative Books is open Noon to 5 p.m. garage, Main Street Books seethes with ambiance. mystery that books are absurdly expensive. on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. . And yes, there's a cushy chair. It is so inviting that However, while giants like Barnes and Noble cast Closer by, in Tivoli, is Village Books, whose pro- e~e11 the neighborhood dog Queenie.. pays a visit their long shadows over the book-selling industry, prietor, Bernard Tieger, was a professor of once or twice a day. This is the place for students there still remain those brave used bookstores who Sociology at Bard from the ]are 1960s to the late . and book lovers alike. Main Street is open noon to offer the goods at unbeatable prices. Fortunately, the proprietors of the independent bookstores in the mid~Hudson area experienc~ little competition; Enter the national chains like Border's and . Barnes and Nobles. They are multi~stoded • · labyrinths· complete with cafes, poetry readings, and the finest smooth jazz on earth. No stroke of genius was necessary to connect coffee with book­ stores. Take a low-pressure consumer strategy and a psuedointellectual environment-a mix between the traditional and the postmodern, furnished with • cushy chairs-and you've got the formula for suc­ cess. When people are ready to buy, they don't make their purchases, they checkout as if at a gro- . eery store: This is the first place many students turn in their search for an alternative to the campus bookstore. The national chains offer the advantage . of a wide selection and lack the mark-ups; on the other hand, for a avid reader who enjoys the expe- . rience of bookstores as much as books themselves, these places are a nightmare. "I don't know what I was thinking freshman year : when I bo~ght all 18 books for my Russian history . class. This year I wised up and ordered all of my . books from Amazon.com and saved a hell of a lot of money," said Sara Pulver, an indignant junior. . Arnazon.com is a relatively new company that . STACKED FOR SUCCESS: Main Slreet Books has moved its excellent sells books, usually with a two to four percent dis- : selection, affordable prices and comfortable-arm-chair ambiance to a count on the cover price, over the Internet. For . In addition to the great books, the Main new location on Church Street in the heart of Germantown. everyone who has ever been frustrated by the fact : S"- t 8 k f "l"ty •tself • u.,.. ti 5 p.m., Friday through Sunday. that they are prohibited from browsing a national ! u ee 00 S ac11 I IS an 3Lu aC OU. Pages Past, at the corner of East Chester and chain store's stock on the computerized catalogues, Situated in a rickety building that had Tammany streets in Kingston, is definitely not Amazon.com is a godsend. Every book they carry is, where students should go to find books for class. electronicaUy, at your fingertips. The selection is . previously been a firehouse, a telephone Tom Williams and Ann Stenson, who run the ice just as extensive as any major chain and features easy : cream parlor adjacent to the store in the spring and access to book reviews from radio programs, nine : company, and a garage, the store seethes summer, specialize in first editions and rare books. newspapers, and nearly 90 magazines. This feature . The books are expensive, but it is worth the trip to is so intricate that the reviews for National Public . Mtfl ambiance. This iS the place for rummage through the stacks and see what turns up. Radio were classified by program: "Morning Poinrs of interest are the military history, children's Edition," "Fresh Air," "All Things Considered." It's • students and book lovers alike. Main Street and sports sections. rn the sports section one will very convenient. Other notable features include lists ; find Budg~ on Tennis, the 1930's instructional book of award winning writers, reading group guides, and . is open 12~5 P~m., Friday through Sunday recently made famous in the film The Spanish the "Bookmatcher," which analyzes your literary • Prison~r next to I Can't Wait Until Tomor- tastes and suggests authors you might enjoy. , 1980s. For this reason, social science material is row... 'Cause I Get Better Looking Every Day by Joe Unfortunately, this feature is a little limited; it sug- : plentiful. Village Books also has an huge quantity • Namath, whose cover is nothing but a photograph gested that this writer read everything written by • of crime and mystery fiction, which was the origi- . of the handsome quarterback. Pages Past is a archive Michael Ondaatje and Ernest Hemingway. Perhaps . nai theme of the shop. The fiction section is some- of the ancient, the odd, and the ridiculous. the only flaw with Amaz.on.com is that one cannot . what lacking; however, tucked away in the back . To illustrate the obvious superiority of shopping actually turn the pages of potential purchases and • corner are two shelves filled with cheap paperback · at these stores rather than on campus a simple com­ read a paragraph or two. The whole experience of a · copies of the greatest hits of literature. Here, you . parison is warranted. Take Professor Justus bookstore is lost, bur this is the Electronic Age, . will have no problem finding Homer, Shakespeare, Rosenberg's course, the 19th Century Continental righr? . Dostoyevsky, or Wool£ While Tieger had hoped • No;el, which is being taug· ht this semester. The syl- that Village Books would be a resource for Bard ; The final alternative is independent and used , labus includes Tolstoy's ~rand Peace, Stendhal's students seeking out inexpensive books, he gets sig- • bookstores. There are sev~ral used bookstores near • nificantly less business from students than he . The Red and the Black, Balzac's Cousin Bette, Bard; they offer the greatest affordability. Located : expected. "Bard students are not as concerned . Flaubert's Madame Bovary, Dostoyevsk.y's Crime in the basement of the red brick building at 15 . about saving money as I would have thought," he and Punishment, and Mann's Buddenbrooks. If one ~John St. in downtown Kingston, Alternative Books . said. Considering its location, no student should · were to buy these books on campus, attempting to has been selling used books for two and a half years. . pass this store up. Hours are Wednesday through purchase as many used books as possible, it would The proprietors, Marylin Stabline and Gary : Sunday, 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. cost about $40. At Village Books, Alternative Wilkie, are "committed bilblioholics" and, not sur- : By far the best and most interesting bookstore Books, or Main Street Books, one would spent prisingly, value the physical quality of a book as · near Bard is Main Street Books in Germantown, between $15 and $20 dollars. & the saying goes> much as the words printed inside. The books are a • now in its second week in its new location on the numbers never lie. THE BARD OBSERVER 0pIN I 0N s THURSDAY. OCTOBER 29, 1998

The Ancient Quarrel Between Poetry-Through-Mail and Fear DEAR MISS LONELYHEARTS, thing without some outside opinions. I am a second year Bard student and I have Unfortunately, the most romantic act a crush on this guy who I don't even know ever committed by my significant other was and have no classes with, but who I've seen to be serenaded with the C&W song, around. Do you think it is advisable to send "Why Don't We get Drunk and Screw," so him love poetry through campus mail, wirh I have little experience with romantic poet­ only my box number? What should I do? ry, but I did do some research for you, and Yours, I think with a little paraphrasing, there is Miserable in Mannex still hope. I would advise using something that you didn't write yourself. This is Dear Miserable, because unless you are a professional When I have a crush on some guy I invariably find myself running into him all the time. Then, pre[[y soon I start stopping I would advise using something by his room "just to say hi" yet I'm wearing that you don't write yourself. my favorite ensemble. STOP. Don't do this! i It is never successful. You build him up so This is because unless you are a< much inside yourself that when you are around him, you are reduced to sounding professional romantic it is hard like a blathering idiot. Trust me, he will never like you if this happens. He'll say to to write love poetry that evades his roommate: "Who's the rweeker who eorniness. So read up! keeps stopping by to see you, while her ensemble is terrific, I think she has a speech romantic it is hard to write love poetry that impediment, or else she's really stupid.". . eva d es corntness.· So rea d up.1 somew h ere You do not want this to happen., Be strong, · out t h ere ·ts the per fiec t Sh ak espearean son- but don't ignore him. Thats the other net or n·tc ki nson poem rh a t t ru1 y d escn·b es thing we· terid to do when we see him, and c li c h' 1 . " , your ree ngs wr t 1s gent eman. then he says to hts roommate: Who s that · N ow, fi1rs t an d 1oremosc t , we mus t dl' s- girl with t~e ~rear. clothes, ~he d~esn'~ even . cuss style. It's ali about presentation. The know I extst. Th1s may dnve htm. shghtlr . style should theoretically mat(,:h the poem, cr:zy (~nd I stress the may) but 1t wont · but if you can't find the right look, I'd go drtve htm to call you. . . . for simple, yet elegant. Use a fl:ice pen, but So, ~our only chan~e IS JUSt to go fur lt. not calligraphy. Paper is the key, but never ~end htm that romantic poetry, maybe eve~ perfume it. I usually us~ a nice thick stgn your name (but make sure he knows lt creamy stationary card, which can easily be first). I've inquired among both~~ sexes, and purchased at Paper Additions in Tivoli for generally found. a positive response. One the low, low price of something like twen­ school of thought contends that sending ~i~ ry-five cents. However, make sure you buy romantic poetry is like sending him an a lot because I guarantee at least four engagement ring and ~e y.rill freak out. drafts. I would generally say that the more However, I tend to be of the opinion that if a minimalist the better, but if you cannot be little fantasy freaks him out, then you proba- swayed, a few doodles are acceptable. If bly don't want to be with him anyway. HOW- you decide to go for the doodling though, EvER, be forewarned, bad romantic poetry make sure you buy more paper because will be the ultimate turn-off. Okay, that's not there will be a hell of a lot more drafts true, but I wouldn't advise sending him some- than just four. 16 THE BARD OBSERVER ARTs & ENTERTAIN MEN T THURSDAY. OCTOBER 29, 1998 BjOrk, Hiccups and Plenty o' Attitude: Dance Threatre III Playful, Impetuous

( Bv MARDI SHAH ) . not, it takes you to an another place and that is quite : love and is done without sappy gestures. In fact, she uses ~------~------~ enough. Muldow is coming along as a performer. kicks that look like the martial arts, slaps on the body Twelve pieces, fifteen choreographers and twenty six "Why I hate the universe" by Sarah Ward is bitter that are powerful yet very graceful. She even uses a dancers created Dance Theater III. The music was pre- : sweet. I see in this piece two distinct sections where a Michael Jackson gesture, with one hand under the dominantly popular-Bjork, Ricki Lee Jones and . quartet and a solo are performed to a Sinead O'Connor ribcage and the other outstretched. She reminds me of Madonna--but the choreography was diverse. · song. The quartet uses devices like hiccups, waves and the way the young Jackson danced in the Jackson 5 days The show started with Beth Coakley's "I Know You're : blowing kisses. Conflicts among the dancers are depict­ but this dance is hers and hers only. With Me." It is a duet with simple movements, dresses : ed in the second section set to the sounds of nature. It Something is lacking in Alicia Brisher's "Fairytale". I and sweet music. The dancers (Shana Gozansky and : finally ends with all five dumped together in a pile. do not know what. There is a ballerina on pointe, a sol­ Julya Delholm) could have been encouraged to hold less ; Owen Muldow seems to like Bjork a lot. In dier and two kids(?) playing with a ball and another and release more, but the dear expression with which . "Josephine and Felicia," he has ten beautiful dancers dancer. An Aerosmith song is mixed with the choreog­ they dance fulfills the general intention of the piece. · moving to her music. His advantage is that he rapher's nanny ·singing a nursery rhyme. The whole The same criticism could be applied to "So Far\ 104 knows a lot about lighting techniques. The lighting piece appears to be inspired by a nursery rhyme. Reasons," choreographed and performed by Julya . done by Owen and Brian Aldous is impeccable. It Something does happen in "Norikatsu." Youssef Delholm and Shana Gozansky, and "Elements" by Beth • Kerkour's piece danced by Clare Amory is ghostly, full of Coakley. "So Far\ 104 Reasons" was conceived when : ~ pain and very intense. The Tibetan chants are very effec­ Delholm and Gozansky created solo dances and then . g tive and Amory does well. The end, where she gets up realized they had a duet. Again, the movements are very . ~ suddenly afi:er laying on the floor for sometime was careful and held. Gozans-ky speaks in whispers while ~ unnecessary, but I loved the piece anyways. moving, which works because of its potential mystery, . . Ani Weinstein's "Emptied at Present" is plain kick- but does not work because it does not go far enough. It · ass. A trio danced by Weinstein, Mayumi Ando and concludes with both dancers melding together to form Caitlin Marcoux, it moves very fast and speeds up the a unified shape. Perhaps ir is better that I interpret the general slow tempo of the evening. The dark costumes dance as a brief phrase in a dream, a slight breeze that . and the sharp sracatto notes mixed by DJ Adam Lobel comes and goes. "Elements" is also a little bit like that. . · jolted the viewer. A solo choreographed\performed by Beth Coakley, it is "Choreographers are a special people'' is hilarious but innovative in its use of musical instruments, tabla and . • you also wonder what the private joke is about. A col­ included 12 performances. rhumb piano played by Ehren Hanson and David ' CAWNG ALL DANCERS: Dance Theatre Ill : laboration between Weinstein, Marcoux, Amory and Homan respectively. The Musicians sit on a mat on the : melds beautifully with costu~es designed by Abigail Kathryn Johnson, it is the Bard\postmodern\funny floor, shirtless and quite comfortable. They create a • Loyd. Eight of the dancers appear in pairs facing ' piece. Amory does a riverdance routine while carrying a wonderful atmosphere that is neither "Eastern" nor . upstage and doing what appears to be ballet exercis­ pot of sunflowers, Marcoux reads from "The Art of "Western". lr is not clear how Beth breathes in such an : es. They spread out doing arabesques and other hal­ Making Dances" as Doris Humphrey, Weinstein dances atmosphere. That is not dear enough. The musicians letic steps. A simultaneous drama happens on a as Julia Childs with a rolling pin in hand and Johnson listen very well to her but how does she listen to them? bench between Josephine and Felicia who move very as lighting designer Brian Aldous walks with a huge I wanted more synthesis between the music and the • sparsely, so much that one doesn't catch them mov­ • bundle of electric wire. dance, but it was a great attempt. • ing because of the activity of the ballerinas. The "Four" choreographed to a song by Ricki Lee Jones "Scroll Lock" is Owen Muldow's solo work where he story of the two women on the bench is a little by Adrienne Barr and Alexis Steeves, is danced with e~e flaunts his nipple ring. Set to Bjork's "Headphones", unclear but it does not matter because the dance is and fun which is nice to see. They are technically profi­ Muldow comes out from the wings in a sullen light, very powerful. The two women started out sitting cient and enjoy themselves to the music. looking like one of Ted Shawn's dancers without his . side by side, and by the end, one's head is resting on Noel Brandis is the Dance department's hip hop\Jazz shirt. Centered weight wise, he moves very slowly, the other's. The whole dance reminds me of · choreographer. "Body Language" brims with "attitude" Butoh style, creates sense of tension with his arms, and · Ballancine and his ballerinas; it makes me think of and I will not hear any crap about it being not "mod­ then falls. I wish he could have created more tension Muldow and his idea of "femineity" or anyone's idea ern" or "serious" enough. Five dancers flaunt their sex­ because his opening promise of weighted heaviness is : of femineity for that matter. uality to Madonna. I especially like the idea of flashing betrayed. In the end, he lays on his back amid a large : Kudos go to Layle Weidman, who dances to a light when Madonna says "Sex." Go attitude! pool of spotlight and in harmony with Bjork's whispers. "Exfactor" by Laryn Hill. The honest emotion with . This is Mahdi Shah reporting from the very midst of One wonders whether the piece is too short, but it is ' which she dances wins you over. The dance is about Drama\Dance department. THE BARD OBSERVER 0 pIN' 0 Ns THURSDAY. OCTOBER 29, 1998 17 Letters to the Editors & Community To the Bard Co~munity,, "- • . ,. .~ t . tle ap~tment in Kingston _wd cry about the pain.f':t To the Community, Among the many goak of B!rd1s Black Student rem.inde~ th~t my African Ameriean brothers, sisters ~ There aq: qot-wonis that can adequately describe in Organization: the primary -goals ~t ·this- point are to a~d I have a limited sense of safety in our own com- · one sentence ~what h.ippened to 'Mario. We support support and protect Mario Bourdeau, as well as to . munity. But, the time for tears will be brief and the him in whatever he desires assistance in doing or not support the African American popuiation. l ask th.at time for action will be long. doing. We also firmly bdieve in the necessity of an open evetyone give him room to breathe. This i~ the best In the coming months, the President, the Dean of dialogue amongst all members of the Bard community. way to support him. t have been approached by many Students Office, the Bard Black Student Organization, Ariana Olmo-Stokas students who showed interest in taking action and I and other student. organizations/groups will be work- Head of LA$0 appreciate· this gesture. I implore club organizations ing on responses to this incident. Information will be and students who are organizing committees and want : circulating about methods for short term and long Firing line Coverage Inconsistent To the Editors: to cake action to be respectful of B.B.S.O.'s positi~n. . term action. I strongly recommend that students inter- In this year's first issue of The Observer you offer an Before any actio~ is to be taken I ask that c~ntact is ested in action respect the wishes of Mario Bourdeau, account of last spring's Firing Line taping held here at made and discussed with B.B.S.O. This is to ensure Raymond Marte, the other stuqents directly involved Bard, during which several students disrupted tl}.e debate that everyone is in-sync-a unified community. It has : and the agenda of the Bard Black Student with a protest for more campus diversity ["Protested Firing been a difficult time for the Mrican American-student Organization. In addition, I would like to encourage Line Airs, Diversity Debate Continues," Sept. 25]. In population. B.B.S.O. needs time to meet and to set an all students to respect the different reactions of their addition the Observer provided a table entitled, "Bard agenda. The Bard Community must be patient and . peers and refrain from judging each other's choice of College Minority Enrollment." On the last line of your handle this situation with care if we want to see fruit­ table the figure for H.E.O.P. Enrollment is incorrectly stat­ ful results. .Tyro~e S. Copeland Information will be circulating about ed to be ten. In fact, the Higher Education Opportunity B.B.S.O. President Program admitted fourteen First Year students. My reason for writing to you has actually less to do with To the Bard Community, methods for short term and long term this statistical error; rather it is your inclusion of H.E.O.P. I would like to comment about the incident Statistics in the Enrollment table without explanation. As a which occurred on campus Saturday night and the action. I strong1y recommend that students result it appears out of context, because nowhere in your response by the administration and students. k interested in action respect the wishes o~ article does it state what the acronym H.E.O.P. stands for, many of you are aware, a Deputy Sheriff from the nor does the reader know what it means to be "on Dutchess County Sheriff's Office arrested Mario Mario Bourdeau, Raymond Marte, the other H.E.O.P." My question then becomes why include Bourdeau, an African American male student, on H.E.O.P in the box at all; why not the T.L.S. Or campus. I mention Mario's race because, as details students directly involved and the agenda S.P.A.R.C., with no explication of those letters, and no about the arresting officer's actions became dearer, it mention of those programs in the text of the article? · was evident that race was a significant factor in the of the Bard Black Student Organization. In addition, "on H.E.O.P." connotes being on a scholar­ ~ature of the pursuit and the aggressiveness used by ship, (if interpreted positively,) or on welfare (if read. pejora­ the officer in the arrest. The night of the incident response to this offensive incident. In my three months tively). Ir is neither. The Higher Education Opportunity and the days following the incident have been a blur at Bard, I have begun developing resources for com­ Program is in fact a thirty year old parmership between N.Y. filled with meetings, discussions, telephone calls, municating about race, approaching issues of diversity, State and its private colleges and universities, which recruits, fear, uncertainty and frustration. and educating the community about difference and admits, and aids students who are deemed economically and As an Mrican American woman new to this com- : unity. I hope that each of you will work with me and educationally disadvantaged, yet possess the potential to study successfully on a college level. There is no racial basis for muniry, I am disturbed that the memory of this inci- . with each other to address this wound and its long admission, as is implied by H.E.O.P.'s mention in your table. dent will forever cloud my impression of the New term affects. Oh, 1 almost forgot. The next time Lauren Martin and York Hudson Valley. As an Mrican American female . Lastly, I would like to thank the President, the De;w Lisa Thompson decide to include H.E.O.P. in their questions administrator n6w·to this commui'lity; I im co'in'mit.: .. of Students staff, the Student Services staff, the faculty lamenting Bard's lack of substantive diversity ["The ted to working with all of Bard's faculty, staff and stu- · and the students who have supported me through this Miseducation of the Negro and the Yellow Peril," Sept. 25} dents to make sure that this never happens again on ordeal. I, along with Mario and many others, am they may want to stop by the office and see what is going on. our campus. I have not had the opportunity to prop- focused upon the successful recovery from this incident There may have been unforseen changes in H.E.O.P., but erly reflect upon how this has affected me, my fellow and the ability to say that something positive has come we're still here. Sincerely, African Americans on this campus and the communi- from such pain. Nicole Woods GABRIEL N. MENDES ty at large. However, I know that soon the night will Assistant Dean of Students/ Acting Director, H£0.P. come when I get into my car to drive home to my lit- Director of Multicultural Affairs North Hojfoutn Basement Observer Editorial Policy The Bard Observer is Bard's only stu­ they stories, cartoons, photographs, ble-spaced ·hardcopy (printout) labeled The Bard Observer reserves the right dent-run newspaper. A forum for the statistics, or advertising, is 5 p.m. on with author's name, suggested headline to edit letters for spelling, grammar, exchange of ideas and information, the Tuesday prior to publication. Late and subheadline when relevant, and a length, and coherency. the paper is distributed free-of-charge · submissions (with the exception of short description of the work. Send submissions via Campus Mail on campus. Twelve issues are planned · late breaking news and sports articles) Letters to the Editor are welcome. to P.O. Box 850. for the academic year; distribution will not be accepted. We strongly discourage anonymous The Editors can be contacted at generally takes place Mondays. Submit all writings on a labeled disk submissions. If anonymity is absolutely [email protected]; 758-7131; and Everyone is welcome to submit. with files saved in a Macintosh-compat­ necessary, the writer must reveal her or P.O. Box 850, Bard College, Annan­ The deadline for all submissions, be ible format (no PC files). Include a dou- his identity to the Editor. dale~on-Hudson, NY 12504. THE BARD OBSERVER ADS THURSDAY, OCJ'OBER29, 1998

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Written &,. created by: Chris Van Dyke, John Holowach; Copyright 1998 Holowach/Van Dyke Drawn by: Chris Van Dyke _ Special thanks to: Allen Josey, for trying so hard (with an apology about the low jab at the hair); Dave Warth, for the brilliant 11Killing Joke" parody (panels 1~4 and the ritle); numerous others, for brainstorming what would be the weirdest form of entertainment possible; the jazz band, for having to do a gig in a cafeteria; and John the Evangelist, for alowing use of the Book of Revelations.